 Kit B. (294) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 10:03 am (Cartoon image: Jill Sorenson) So I really did see this billboard over the summer, on I-5 in southern Washington. Anyone who travels between Portland and Seattle with any frequency is aware of the cultural institution known as the "Uncle Sam billboard." It always has some extreme right-wing slogan next to a likeness of Uncle Sam. Apparently a farmer started it decades ago, and now the fabled sign is maintained by his son. (I neglected to include Uncle Sam when I drew the cartoon; I was so gobsmacked by the sentiment that I forgot all about him. And the internet tells me belatedly that the exact wording was "Should people receiving entitlements be allowed to vote?", but I'm too tired to fix it now.) Clearly the sign is the handiwork of an ignoramus, but it touches on something that's been bothering me for a while. Many Americans don't understand the term "entitlements." Anyone hoping to preserve the social safety net should avoid the word, which makes Social Security and Medicare sound like frivolous handouts to undeserving snots. The fact that anti-poverty measures like food stamps are also referred to as entitlement programs only adds to the confusion, not that denying voting rights to poor people is any less reprehensible. I wouldn't dismiss this billboard guy as a lone crackpot, either. TPM recently reported on conservative columnist Matthew Vadum, who suggested that registering poor people to vote is like handing out burglary tools to criminals. I smell a meme.
by Jen Sorensen for Daily Kos
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 Arielle S. (252) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 10:11 am In the past year, I've met a woman who would not give her used refrigerator to a black woman because "they get so much stuff". I've heard a retired, wealthy man say that anybody who wants to work can get a job. And I've heard a presidential candidate diss 47% of the people he wanted to represent. Sometimes it's embarrassing to be a human being.... And Matthew Vadum should spend six months or a year as a homeless man - then we'll see how he feels. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Kit B. (294) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 10:11 am This is an older article, one from last year, but no less relevant today. I submit this because I do believe we must have a public discussion about the real issue of entitlements, not the change of the lexicon as presented by one side of this issue. We are all easily influenced by the ongoing political rhetoric that we hear used every day. The word entitlements has now become a word that is used to describe those who wish live from the government teat and not care what it may cost the public in taxation. It's a convenient twist in the true meaning of the word, yet is quickly affecting the national discussion.
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 Barbara K. (87) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 10:53 am Thanks, my friend. The problem is that the word "Entitlement" was cooked up for use by the Tbagggers and Republicans to describe people's "Earned Benefits", just to turn their people against a segment of society who have already worked their years and paid into SS and Medicare and now are receiving the Benefits they paid for. They are not free. The Rs and TPs cannot stand to see the sick, the disabled, the seniors, the students, the single moms, the retired, or anyone not them, to receive any benefits at all. They'd rather we all be out begging in the streets for what we have spent our lives earning, and those who were not able to do so because of disabilities or illness. They are a bunch of selfish a$$es, who cannot stand it that THEY don't have ALL the money. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Roseann D. (151) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 10:57 am Calling them Entitlements is inaccurate since we've EARNED that money and it's set aside for our futures. Now if you want to talk Entitlements, let's take a look at GOP paychecks...what have they done to EARN their money over the past decade? Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 pam w. (177) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 10:58 am It all comes down to the "I've got MINE....not SCREW YOU" attitude demonstrated so ably by the Republicans in our past election. The Constitution talks about "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Are those "entitlements?" How about breathing? Or...how about breathing clean air? Are THOSE entitlements? Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 SuSanne P. (110) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 11:18 am Thank you Kit, although this is just so WRONG. After viewing the actual Uncle Sam Billboard "No Mexican Olympic Teams...All The Runners and Swimmers are Here" I can't even imagine the Hate that has been confusing everyone for so many years. Pam you always impress me with your short and concise words..."The Constitution talks about "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." "Are those "entitlements?" "How about breathing? Or...how about breathing clean air? Are THOSE entitlements?" Many feel that way...How pathetic our Gr$$dy politicians are... WE THE PEOPLE is WE the 1% Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Nancy M. (201) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 12:03 pm "TPM recently reported on conservative columnist Matthew Vadum, who suggested that registering poor people to vote is like handing out burglary tools to criminals. I smell a meme." WOW. Such hatred from people. And the comments here. Not wanting to give away a used refrigerator? The "right" jas become so demented, they seem to get worse every day. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Nancy M. (201) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 12:06 pm Clicked on of the links in your article Kit, about the billboard, and found another very interesting article. Here it is about the man who put up the billboard: ""If he graduated, he would have been drafted. He quit early so he could get a deferment, and he farmed instead of going into the service." Like many of his politically like-minded brethren, Hamilton couldn't be troubled to bother actually going to war, despite the fact that later in life he had plenty to say about those who didn't "support" the troops. By not graduating, he apparently continued to seek academic deferments, a favorite of the next generation of conservatives to dodge the draft during Vietnam (Vice President Dick Cheney receivied five)." Even back in WWII, there were people getting out of going? WOW. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Tamara Hayes (121) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 12:56 pm Hate begets hate and so on...."You reap what you sow". Is that an entitlement too? Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Jae A. (287) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 1:02 pm Ditto to all that Pam W said first off. That being said...all great comments and green stars plus applause worthy so far. Thanks kit for sharing. Fortunately for the nation the Teabagger Klans anti-American...ProRacism ...ran out of influence long before the last election...that became clear when the GOP didn't pick any of their favorite guano extremist morons to run against Obama. Their end will come with their last yelps of hate and hyprocracy as they are pushed back into their pits of misery...all the signs of that are currenlty very noticable, not only on care2 but most sites where political catagories are their focus but within even Republican media...except those of the Murdock insanitea chain... Later in the month we will be reading their hyped titles of how the left have declaired war on Christmas...again...but by early Jan. it will be back to 'entitlements'....but without their mentioning of Corporate Entitlements they are so supportive of......... Geee Fricken wizzzzzzzzz...and pass the biscuts please. It's time for some comfort food ..enough of their poisonous snack trays and Teabagger Klan Koolaid....better known as.... rightwing politicans and their rethoric. IN closing...I repeat...Ditto to all that Pam W. said above. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Kit B. (294) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 1:04 pm My own thoughts on entitlements is simple. Should I decide I want to pay for something and then I do that, then that item is something that I am entitled to own. I like most of America paid for Social Security and Medicare, that Congress has over the years abused their privileges and in turn abused and misused those funds is not the fault of those who paid in good faith. I can not in good conscience allow this discussion about "entitlements" to become yet another national discussion about those who wish to abuse the system. Thanks for reading the article and leaving your thoughts, if I can send green stars I do. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Angelikanomail Roll (75) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 1:32 pm When I read it for the first time I also stumbled upon that word, it sure is not the best choice for what it stands for in this context. In German we simply say SOZIALLEISTUNGEN (social benefits) In my view your term points more towards the recipient (is why there can be so much nasty interpretation) while ours expresses more the givers side. (less inviting to twist and smear) Also, the word LEISTUNGEN stands for both sides, i.e. what s.o. ows you or has to serve you with and also your own merits and achievements. One way to prevent such dirty games and abuse for politics. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Angelikanomail Roll (75) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 1:39 pm Kit-how couls Congress abuse and misuse those funds that americas paid for SS? I thought they cannot be touched as they go to a treasury fund? Are you saying they helped themselves taking from that money?? Now THAT would be criminal in my view.-? Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Kit B. (294) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 2:09 pm Maybe that is just more of the many "legends" about Social Security, though there have been reports of the Congress dipping into the Social Security and Medicare funds to finance secret operations for many years. This group that more clearly defines how SS is invested says that is not true. Thanks Angelika for making me back track and correct myself. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3299 Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Angelikanomail Roll (75) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 3:08 pm Alright Kit, that sounds good. And they confirm that media has contributed to that "legend". "The U.S. government has never defaulted on its obligations, and investors consider U.S. government securities to be one of the world?s safest investments." so no sweating there. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Gloria picchetti (140) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 3:41 pm I don't care what you call Social Security but the fact is I worked for it & don't touch it. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Yvonne White (213) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 4:10 pm As a Baby Boomer & an American I feel ENTITLED to Every Right & EVERY Guaranteed benefit that I was Educated to Know was mine! Obviously politics has Down-graded my expectations Somewhat, but what I have known can't be "un-known" as Easily as the young can simply be left Uneducated..so it will be a L-o-n-g time before politicians can Safely screw over the aging masses!;) Or am I alone in this thinking? Gotta find that Gray Panthers recruitment letter..;) Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 4:56 pm I believe what Kit is trying to say is that the word "entitlements" in our country has gotten a bad name. People in America are receiving medicare who have never paid a dime into it. People in America are also receiving social security who have never paid a dime into it. These people feel entitled to receive these benefits even though unlike many Americans who have paid into it they have not paid into it. So, those who haven't paid into anything feel "entitled" to receive the same benefits as people who have paid into it. Don't get me started on the illegals who are also receiving social security and medicare who haven't paid a dime into it. For me personally, I hope I never have to take social security. But, the government tells me I have to start taking it at age 68 or 69. The government also says that I must go on medicare at age 65 when I actually want to keep my private insurance carrier. In fact, I would like it just fine never to have to go on medicare. Save that for the people who need it. Millions of Americans don't want medicare. They can afford private insurance. See how screwed up the system is? If medicare would just allow only those who need to go on medicare apply for it and leave the rest of us alone just think how that would reduce the cost of medicare! But our government insists that all Americans must go on medicare at age 65. And now we have ObamaCare....how lucky can we be? Not only can we not have excellent healthcare that we can afford to pay for it but we must now be told which procedures we can have and which ones we can't because ObamaCare won't allow it. See how ridiculous this is? Leave Americans who can afford private health care alone and lighten the burden on the taxpayers. But, no, that's not the way it works. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 4:58 pm Regarding medicare, I don't even care that I paid into medicare. I simply don't want to be on it. So, keep my money and spend it on one of those Americans who have never paid a dime into it and leave me alone. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 5:15 pm Same with ObamaCare....I want no part of it. I just want the government to leave me alone and let me decide for myself what I feel is best for me. If our country embraced this mentality that millions of Americans don't want to go on a government controlled healthcare plan and can afford to pay for their own private insurance would that no lesson the financial overburden the already overburdens medical expenses facing the taxpayers today? The only way out as I see it is to invest yearly in concierge medicine which is an upcoming option for many Americans. Primary care doctors in this system will continue to see their patients who are forced on medicare whether they need it or not because of the annual fee that is paid to them which pays them what they deserve to be paid for seeing patients. These concierge doctors are dropping down from 2,000 patients a year to 600 patients a year. Finally, the upper tier physicians have found a way to be compensated adequately for the work they do for paying patients instead of what the government/Obamacare tells them they are worth. Works for me. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 5:26 pm There's always a way to outfox the fox. Concierge medicine is doing just that. They have an enrollment period. Only those who pay the fee will see their preferred physician. This gives the physicians the extra compensation they deserve. Why is this important? Because the physicians do not want to be over run with medicare and medicaid patients because the government pays them $20.00 for a visit when they can get $50 to $60 a visit from a paying patient. None of us can blame the physicians. They easily spent well over $200,000 for their medical education and the government expects them to be satisfied with being paid substandard costs? It doesn't work that way in our country. The best physicians are invited into the "concierge medicine" concept. They will be in a position to refer their patients to the "best" doctors when the need arises. What I love about America is that innovation begins here and this is a very good example. The government hates it I am sure but Americans will always resist being controlled by the government. And, that's a good thing. Obamacare should be for those Americans who need it and hopefully with millions of Americans opting for the concierge route it will enable ObamaCare or medicare/medicaid to have the flexibility to offer better care for those enrolled in it. I call it a win/win. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Armand B. (68) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 5:34 pm TU Kit. Are bribes considered entitlements I wonder... Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Kit B. (294) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 5:41 pm Most probably Armand, some consider bribes their proper remuneration for being in a given position,say Congress for one. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Kit B. (294) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 5:42 pm I am certain that Ayn Rand never expected to be dependent on Social Security and Medicare, and yet, she was. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 5:50 pm None of us should be forced to go on Medicare, Kit. Yes, we paid into it but we don't want to have to go on it. Give what we paid into it to those who have never paid into it. It lifts the burden of the escalating costs of medicare to the taxpayers. No, I'm not the 1%. I'm a middle class American who has charted my life course to be personally responsible for what I want in what I consider a quality lifestyle. I'm willing to give what I paid into medicare to someone else who needs it. I not only do not need it I don't want it shoved down my throat. I'll happily give it to someone who actually needs it. What is your response, Kit? I'm sure it will be good. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Angelikanomail Roll (75) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 5:55 pm and she had no shame accepting it? Wow Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:06 pm What is not being said here is that the majority of Americans have excellent credit, have paid off their mortgages, have money in savings and retirement investment accounts. Yes, we have paid into social security although we know it was always the worst investment anyone can make financially but we paid into it knowing full well there was no way in hell we could live on one check. When Obama stepped in during the mortgage meltdown and tampered with the natural recovery of the real estate market he was wrong to do so. What he didn't understand that millions of Americans had the credit and money to step in and buy up the foreclosures in record time. However, once he tampered with that natural recovery by realigning mortgages which was responsible for months of red tape meanwhile the values were continuing to drop, Americans stepped aside. Why on this earth would anyone lock into a foreclosure tied up for four months when the value was going to drop another $30,000.00 stay seated at the table? That's how incompetent Obama is. He needed to stay out of the fray but he had something he wanted to prove and unfortunately the only thing he proved was that he didn't know what the hell he was doing. Sadly, the foreclosures sat and sat and sat. Everyone lost on that deal....the banks, the mortgage companies, Americans who would've helped the economy by buying up foreclosures.....what a circus Obama created. And now millions of Americans are still under water because Obama stopped the natural recovery of the real estate market. We've had recessions in America since 1948. Some of you who may be interested should read the study on those recessions. I researched it. I read it. Most recessions in America recovered in 14 months real estate driven and real estate corrected. The subprime debacle presented a different "twist" but Americans with excellent credit could've solved this problem if only Obama had stepped out of the way. Obama gave new meaning to "enhancing a deep recession." Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Kit B. (294) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:16 pm No, Angelika she had no shame. She was still selling her drivel as her own delusional facts, even while taking both Social Security and Medicare. And the depression of 1873? How fast was that recovery? How many died of starvation when there was no government intervention? Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 John C. (77) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:22 pm So happy to do so, and thank you for your contribution! Please feel obliged to do the same. I cannot see how social security can be insolvent. Illegals must pay in if they work and will never be able to collect. I have paid in all my life and conservative people say the same thing to me. Excuse me but there is a problem here. I only have to count the Ferrari's to see where the problem with that program is. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:26 pm Kit, you can hardly compare 1873 to what is going on today. That was way back then and this is now. The world has changed in case you haven't noticed. People died of starvation because there was no government money to make it better. Ayn Rand wrote Atlas Shrugged saying that capitalist gave up on society because innovation and hard work were not rewarded by society. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:29 pm John, if I'm arguing with someone who is counting Ferrari's I'm arguing with somebody whose concentrating not just the top 1% but the top .03%. Don't be ridiculous, John. The wealth producers of this country don't own Ferrari's. The wealth producers of this country own Cadillacs. when the earn them. The Ferrari owners are Hollywood moguls who get their own tax breaks to keep California economy going on a bandaid. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:30 pm typo: Who is concentrating... Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Roseann D. (151) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:36 pm The 1% has their own Entitlement program : BushCo tax cuts. From what I've seen, rather than creating jobs, they used close to 1 Trillion in tax cuts to fund defeating Obama and other candidates they disagreed with. Yet, another great reason to end the Bush Tax cuts. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
 Cam V. (416) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:55 pm We are entitled to what we earn in life. We are entitled to help IF we need it and in some cases that help must be given to members of our society for life. But for most it should NEVER become a lifestyle and yet in America, with the increase in your entitlements under this current administration it will become a problem for you. You cannot possibly have fifty percent of your population supporting the other fifty percent yet you are almost there. If the Bush tax cuts end - end them on everyone. Go ahead and see how that will further erode your middle class. Go ahead - increase it on the rich. That will pay the interest on the money you owe China for a few weeks but then what? It does not address the bottom line which is a government out of control with the spending. BTW we never pay as much into SS etc. as we get back. When those programs were first set up our life expectancy was not as high as it is today. We are living longer so really shoud contribute more. Here in Canada our retirement age is now raised to 67. It helps ..... Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Diane O. (135) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 6:55 pm Roseann, your comments are getting worse by the minute. Unemployment under George W. Bush was as low as the 5% range. Whatever are you talking about, Roseanne? Are you referring to going back to when Clinton was president? When we let the Bush tax cuts expire we simply go back to when Clinton was president. In other words, it was a reprieve from the Clinton era? No big deal. Let them go back. I don't have a problem with that and I bet the majority of Americans don't care either. I love this quote: "But there is yet another area where the Bush tax cuts fail even more spectacularly. President Bush?having inherited a record surplus from President Clinton?promised in 2001 that his tax cuts would not harm the overall federal budget picture. Bush argued in selling his huge tax cuts that, ?I know a lot of folks around America are worried about national debt, as am I. We [will] pay down $2 trillion of debt over the next 10 years.? Not only that, said Bush, but, ?We?ve got a trillion dollars of contingency set aside over the next 10 years. And there?s still money left over. There?s still money left over.? The reason I love this quote is because President Slick Willy Clinton, who was impeached for lying under oath about his affair, in OUR Oval Office with Monica Lewinsky, took money OUT of social security to show this SURPLUS and let IOU's in its place. Honestly, it would be better if you could make this stuff up but we can't. Bill Clinton is a piece of work. Your report has been submitted to Customer Service. Thank you. There was a problem submitting your report. Please try again later. ? |
| Roseann D. (151) | Sunday November 25, 2012, 7:06 pm Worse...Aka in Diane speak.. That means Ive nailed her butt to the wall. Apparently Diane has an extreme case of delusional amnesia...luckily, the bureau of labor statistics show just how woefully wrong you are Diane.. As you can see, by Dec 2008 under D Source: http://www.care2.com/news/member/451276626/3490536 matt ryan matt ryan att wireless Mother Jones cars Bacon Number Kate Middleton photos 
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